The Power of Inexperience / GreyJoy(A)-Rader(J)

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: terje439

Those TFs you launched against near Port Blair, are those the ones that made the landings at Cox and Akyab? Looks like quite big invasion TFs to me.

How much AV in Chungking by now? The units you have in China that are in hexes with enemy troops, do you order them to attack to kill them off in order to respawning them in 30 days, or do you keep them to disrupt supply movement?

Terje

Looked a big invasion fleet to me too...i bet he's fast transported some minor units just in order to open the way for a big scale invasion...

In Chungking i have 4200 AVs right now beyond 6 forts...Rader is no fool and he never tries to destroy my units...i keep on shocking attack but it takes time for them to evaporate...

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Ok, so i'm now trying to redeploy my AKs in order to set up a supply-chain between EC and CT and from there to Perth...however i feel the latter route is very very exposed...he keeps AVs with float planes around and SCTFs ready to smash my convoys...how am i supposed to escort all these convoy routes!?!? I have not enough surface forces to guarantee all my supply routes against his cruisers...forgetting for a moment about the Kb which will probably be involved in other more important tasks

No route is perfectly safe, but the CT to Perth route is far shorter and more secure than WC to Oz's EC. In Mid-Pac he has Truk to raid from, and Bebes, and by now (I haven't seen your map) maybe Kwaj, Tarawa, Canton/Baker, Wake? That route is very exposed, and it eats fuel since you pay for fuel all the way, every hex, both direcitons. Off-map doesn't use fuel, so EC to CT is "free", both directions. more or less. The exit chute from CT is far away from his fuel and re-arming bases, and you can waypoint your TFs after they're out in the IO. Keeping this area under observation is probably one big reason he's worrying about taking Diego Garcia. DG can refuel very well after a bit of port improvement, and air search can cover a lot of ocean from there.

Break up your fuel convoys coming from CT into small chunks, and depend on some getting through. An AM or KV escort isn't going to do squat against surface raiders, and at this point in the war much against subs either. If you can't spare escorts do without, but some fuel needs to get into Oz if you're going to have a hope of operating on the east coast when he comes calling.

Once you have some fuel at Perth, stick some S-boats out of there (their torpedos work) and send them west to harrass his raiders. Get them and a tender moving now. Get some aircraft into Perth through CT as well, and get some searches up. There are a ton of dogmeat models sitting on the US WC as trainers which can be bought out cheap and sent to CT without using ships, once you transfer them to the EC. It takes a bit longer, but it doens't use up your xAKs. You probably can't afford to send PBYs now, so send anything that can search, even 3-4 hexes helps. It can keep his subs off Perth's doorstep and hold down his vectoring them onto incoming and returning CT convoys.

Get some metal moving. Time's a-wasting.

[Nomad]

You might want to consider using Albany instead of Perth. I have had success setting way points of TFs leaving CT to OZ. Another way is more micromanagement, but you can give them a destination of Melbourne or Adelaide and after they arrive on the map change their destination to Perth or Albany using way points to keep them from the hex row going into Perth that a good IJN player will have subs on. And it keeps your TFs south of Perth and maybe away from his CVs or SC TFs.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Nomad

You might want to consider using Albany instead of Perth. I have had success setting way points of TFs leaving CT to OZ. Another way is more micromanagement, but you can give them a destination of Melbourne or Adelaide and after they arrive on the map change their destination to Perth or Albany using way points to keep them from the hex row going into Perth that a good IJN player will have subs on. And it keeps your TFs south of Perth and maybe away from his CVs or SC TFs.

Albany is a good mix-in to buy some latitude variation, and get more unloaded faster. However, I think Perth should get the main effort due to the shipyard for voyage repiars, and the fact that, at best, with CONUS dogmeat, you can maybe get a lousy CAP up over only one or the other at this point. If he brings CVLs that could save some hulls.

But yes, definitely mess with his mind with some routing games. Might try sending a "rabbit" small TF out and then NE to draw off raiders from the big TF one day behind it in the wormhole.

[GreyJoy]

Lots of good stuff here guys. Thanks.
 
Yes, ok, everything sounds clear and doable now. Thank you!
Perth has already been filled with an AS and with some subs. I have most of my S class operating in NOPAC right now...don't know if it's a good deal to move them to Perth...however i'll think about it. I'll send some AKs to East coast via Panama right on the next turn....
 
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 09,10 42
 
Landings at PM continue...he brought in lots of ships and stuff i'd say....too much to defeat just a small under-supplied and under-experienced Aus Bn...think he's up to something here. He hasn't however attacked the base yet. i bet on the 11th will be the day PM falls.
 
At Cock's Bazar and Akyab he landed 2 Base forces. Already planes are in place and the sight-in reports the 21st division is moving to Cock's Bazar...that's the signal i was waiting for!
 
SIG INT REPORT FOR Mar 09, 42
 
3/2nd Raiding Regiment is loaded on a Akasi Cargo class xAK moving to Port Blair.
12th JAAF Base Force is loaded on a Ansyu-C Cargo class xAK moving to Cox's Bazar.
4/3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment is loaded on a Yusen N Cargo class xAK moving to Cox's Bazar.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SIG INT REPORT FOR Mar 10, 42

4/1st RF Gun Battalion is loaded on xAK Zuiko Maru moving to Cox's Bazar.
269th JAAF AF Bn  is loaded on a Keihuku Maru class xAP moving to Cox's Bazar.
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF is loaded on a Horai Maru class xAP moving to Cox's Bazar.
21st Division is loaded on xAP Haruna Maru moving to Cox's Bazar.
 
Think that's enough to say an Invasion is coming!
 

To answer to your questions about CENTPAC, he conquered the whole Marshalls, Tarawa and Baker Isl.  He landed in New Caledonia and at the Espiritu Santo...however he didn't move here in force...he just conquered the empty bases using fragments of his naval units.
 
The ASW jap campaign near the Adamans is getting harder...he managed to sink the Sculpin and with the land based dive bombers he's constantly attacking my Ducth subs...have to redeploy them fast if i don't wanna see them all sunk within a week

[terje439]

You might also want to consider moving some ASW assets to Perth if you use that as a port to offload fuel in as that is something your opponent will likely anticipate. So I would not be surprised to see enemy subs just off the base.

*edit* Oh, and if you want to move some B17/Liberators to Oz, they can fly from PH->Canton Island->Auckland->Oz, this saves you the dangers of sending them on ships, and is alot faster, even though it will take you some time due to ACs being damaged in flight. Also, if you do this, always move the fragments closest to Oz first (let us say you have a squadron with planes at Auckland, Canton Island and PH. Then you want to move from Auckland to Oz, then Canton Island to Auckland, then PH to Canton Island.), this is because if you move in the other order (PH, Canton Island, Auckland) you will only get to move two fragments at the most since the moved fragment will join the other fragment at the target base and have expanded their movement as well. (sorry, this is far easier to explain in norwegian [;)]).

Terje

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Lots of good stuff here guys. Thanks.

Yes, ok, everything sounds clear and doable now. Thank you!
Perth has already been filled with an AS and with some subs. I have most of my S class operating in NOPAC right now...don't know if it's a good deal to move them to Perth...however i'll think about it. I'll send some AKs to East coast via Panama right on the next turn....

No, not worth moving S-boats from Alaska to Perth. If you can spare any Dutch K-class from Java duty their fish work too. Any AS can re-load any sub; there's no nationality limits.

Also, CT to EC is a straight-shot. No need to go through the Canal Zone first.

[terje439]

Start bombing the AFs in Cox Bazaar and Akyab, this will slow his airforce and base building down somewhat.

Terje

[GreyJoy]

More sight-in...everything indicates that he's moving en masse to Cock's Bazar...Engeneers and naval guard units are reported to be loaded on X-maru and moving there.
 
I'm moving troops to cover the internal empty bases on the Bangladesh interior (north of Dacca and Calcutta) cause he's reconing heavily those bases and i strongly fear a para drop there...
 
I now discover i'm not prepared. All my 4Es are in Oz waiting for an invasion that probably will never come...i barely have some 4 U.S. fighter squadrons and some 3 B-26 units in India (except obviously for the RAF)...i'm now trying to downgrade and re-upgrade my B-26s to B17s...but it takes some time and i only have 2 bases with AF level 6...[:@] 
However i'm sending my torpedo bombers and my hurricanes to Dacca...hopefully i can catch some of his transports at Cock's Bazar...he has already 60 fighters in Akyab-Cock's....will be risky and bloody

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

More sight-in...everything indicates that he's moving en masse to Cock's Bazar...Engeneers and naval guard units are reported to be loaded on X-maru and moving there.

Hey, not to pile on, but have you considered that when and if he finishes with Chunking he could easily activate Russia with that huge stack and roll north? No need to tie up sealift, he has the army already near the border, and it's very experienced.

You might want to take a look at your USSR fort building, pilot training, etc. We might see the first game with invasions of India, Oz, and Russia at the same time.

OK, a little piling on. [:)]

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

More sight-in...everything indicates that he's moving en masse to Cock's Bazar...Engeneers and naval guard units are reported to be loaded on X-maru and moving there.

Hey, not to pile on, but have you considered that when and if he finishes with Chunking he could easily activate Russia with that huge stack and roll north? No need to tie up sealift, he has the army already near the border, and it's very experienced.

You might want to take a look at your USSR fort building, pilot training, etc. We might see the first game with invasions of India, Oz, and Russia at the same time.

OK, a little piling on. [:)]

LOL [:D]...yes, i always check Russia since day 1. I already have a plan to abbandon everything and run north where i'm stockpiling my supplies...would be a record i think to lose Oz, India, China and Russia in the same match

[GreyJoy]

March 11-14 1942
 
92 Units are based at Cock's Bazar plus more 6 that are already marching towards Chittaong!!!!![X(]...
 
My recon says 192 fighters and 220 aux planes are based at Chittaong (AF level 2) while more 180 fighters and 200 aux are based at Akyab....MY GOD!!! How many forces was he able to ferry in less than a week!?!?!?
My subs are costantly being hunted down by his surface escorts and by his aerial ASW...the sub campaign in the Bengal Bay is already over...
Between PH and SF CA Luisville has been torpedoes and sunk by the I-7 sub...as predicted the role of escort isn't exactly the perfect one for the big ships [:(].
A strong surface raider TF (probably 3 cruisers) has been spotted around Aukland...
 
More sight-in reports speak about units prepping for Brisbane...but i bet that, having 92 units in India, should mean he's not invading Oz anytime soon...
 
However the use of Chittahong and Akyab lets him free hands with the KB which now can move freely...so i better be very very cautious.
I'm trying to move to Dacca as much forces as i can but i don't wanna stretch too much my interior defences.
Today i recieved a new Indian Division at Madras. As predicted the exp is very low (30) and the morale is even lower. Anyway it will be sent into active service immediately...i badly need some stopping force in Bagladesh!
 
Trying also to collect a decent bombing force in order to pay a visit to Cock's Bazar from Calcutta even if i fear my blenheims will be eaten alive[:o]

[fcharton]

Hi GreyJoy,

Several questions for you...

1- 192 fighters and 220 aux planes in a level 2 airfield? 1800+200 in a level 3? (Akyab)? Not all of those will fly. How many good fighters (AVG, Hurricanes) can you muster? If you have enough, it might be worth sweeping, knowing that only a small number of his fighters will fly (for lack of runways) and that he'll have a hell of a time repairing casualties (because the place is crowded). If you don't have enough, don't go. Your Bleinheims will die eventually, but they should die for something, not during a raid at impossible odds...
That's also a large part of his airforce, which means that, excepts for KB, raids elsewhere will pretty much be unopposed. Do you know where KB is? (sightings? SigInt?).

2- 100 units is a lot. It is about 30% of all unrestricted Japanese unit, but probably more than that if you count fighting units. The best you can do is wait for him, and try to delay. You'll get automatic reinforcements as he goes in, and his garrison requirements will be huge. Supply will also be difficult for him. Just move troops to defensive positions (use the railroads, this is a huge advantage), dig in as much as you can, not much for you to do now. Your opportunities are in the DEI. There is little point in trying to rush Aussies to India now... At best they'll arrive too late, at worst they will be sunk on the way. You need to plan an attack against his less defended bases. The risk is KB, do you know where it is? (I know I asked that one before, but it begs repeating). Where would you like to go, in the SRA?

Also, he will need to feed those 100 units... Figure his supply lines and send your subs there, all of them... That's the only good use of them now...

3- Your goal now is to prevent autovictory in 1943. What are the VP tallies now? In my opinion, the way to deny autovictory is to maintain a high VP count for yourself, to make the 4:1 ratio too costly for him. This means building your bases, fighting in the air (He needs 4:1 to win, any exchange at a rate below 4:1 is good for you, in the air, you'll almost always succeed achieving better rate), attacking weak units.

Francois

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: fcharton

Hi GreyJoy,

Several questions for you...

1- 192 fighters and 220 aux planes in a level 2 airfield? 1800+200 in a level 3? (Akyab)? Not all of those will fly. How many good fighters (AVG, Hurricanes) can you muster? If you have enough, it might be worth sweeping, knowing that only a small number of his fighters will fly (for lack of runways) and that he'll have a hell of a time repairing casualties (because the place is crowded). If you don't have enough, don't go. Your Bleinheims will die eventually, but they should die for something, not during a raid at impossible odds...
That's also a large part of his airforce, which means that, excepts for KB, raids elsewhere will pretty much be unopposed. Do you know where KB is? (sightings? SigInt?).

2- 100 units is a lot. It is about 30% of all unrestricted Japanese unit, but probably more than that if you count fighting units. The best you can do is wait for him, and try to delay. You'll get automatic reinforcements as he goes in, and his garrison requirements will be huge. Supply will also be difficult for him. Just move troops to defensive positions (use the railroads, this is a huge advantage), dig in as much as you can, not much for you to do now. Your opportunities are in the DEI. There is little point in trying to rush Aussies to India now... At best they'll arrive too late, at worst they will be sunk on the way. You need to plan an attack against his less defended bases. The risk is KB, do you know where it is? (I know I asked that one before, but it begs repeating). Where would you like to go, in the SRA?

Also, he will need to feed those 100 units... Figure his supply lines and send your subs there, all of them... That's the only good use of them now...

3- Your goal now is to prevent autovictory in 1943. What are the VP tallies now? In my opinion, the way to deny autovictory is to maintain a high VP count for yourself, to make the 4:1 ratio too costly for him. This means building your bases, fighting in the air (He needs 4:1 to win, any exchange at a rate below 4:1 is good for you, in the air, you'll almost always succeed achieving better rate), attacking weak units.

Francois

1. I have in India the AVG and something like 50 hurricanes, spread all over different bases. The point is that i don't have any reinforcements for the AVG and once their planes are gone i'll be harmless. I'm sending planes from Oz to India via Cape Town but i don't know if they'll arrive in time to be able to help.
I don't feel very confortable of using my precious AVG in sweep mission right now. I feel very exposed there and i'd like to use the little assets i have to cover my bases...hoping that some help will arrive from the US and OZ.
However i'm moving my bombers to Dacca and Calcutta and see what i can do. It will take some 3/4 days before i can muster a coordinated strike with not-fatigued units. In the meanwhile i'll keep on reconing Cock's Bazar...

2. The KB was last seen near Timor 10 days ago. I thought it was going to Singapore but i have no clue right now...it could be everywhere. I'm thinking about a spring/summer raid in NOPAC targeting Attu which now seems to be undefended. Conquering that base and leaving there a base force and a couple of CD guns units will be very helpfull in order to extend my defensive perimeter forward and at the same time moving my Sub base to Coal Harbour which is now too exposed to be used. I'm moving my troops in India in order to set up a defensive mobile positions...gaining time for space is my code-word in India right now. I'm prepping up defensive positions in the inland bases. But i'm pretty sure that Calcutta and Dacca will soon be undefendable...as soon as he gets on the RR west of Dacca i'll have to move back to a new perimeter.
My subs are moving to Akyab area but the japanese aerial and naval ASW is getting stronger every day and most of my subs are getting damaged when not sunk...without achieving not a single hit...however i'll keep on trying

Chungking is now completely surrounded....

3. at the moment the VP counter says 18.000 for Japan and 7.000 for the Allies... but with the fall of China these numbers will easily bypass the 3-1 ratio...

Oh Lord...this game is involving!!!![:D]

[GreyJoy]

.

[fcharton]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
1. I have in India the AVG and something like 50 hurricanes, spread all over different bases. The point is that i don't have any reinforcements for the AVG and once their planes are gone i'll be harmless.

Once your opponent has enough airfield levels and support to use the 400 planes he sent to India, your AVG is toast, you just don't have the numbers.

The initial buildup is one of the weak points in an invasion. What you said about current numbers suggest a weakness now, deal with it now. If you lose the Hurris of the AVG, you'll take enemies with you (remember, losses below 4:1 are in your favour, autovictorywise). If you lose them on the ground later, when you are totally outnumbered...

2. The KB was last seen near Timor 10 days ago. I thought it was going to Singapore but i have no clue right now...it could be everywhere. I'm thinking about a spring/summer raid in NOPAC targeting Attu which now seems to be undefended.

Do you think you can sneak units to New Guinea, Timor or Java? If his troops are thin on the ground, there, you can grab a couple of points, and force him to react. At worst, he'll have to keep his carriers in this area. What I'm trying to say is that you should make the "pacification" of the DEI a costly activity for him. You don't need a lot of troops for this.

His new conquests in the South Pacific, and the Marshalls are interesting place to look too. He can't be everywhere.

3. at the moment the VP counter says 18.000 for Japan and 7.000 for the Allies... but with the fall of China these numbers will easily bypass the 3-1 ratio...

You can't prevent him from gaining points, but you can try to maintain your VP count as high as possible... If you have 7k VP, he needs 28k, if you have 6k he only needs 24... One level of airfield even far behind your lines "cost" him 8 points, losing 20 fighters to 10 of his, 20 points too...

In other words, you can't really prevent him from conquering whatever he wants, but you can raise the price for autovictory. This should really be your key preoccupation from now on. There will be no attempt at reconquest, if the war ends on 1/1/43...

Good luck
Francois

[ADB123]

1. I have in India the AVG and something like 50 hurricanes, spread all over different bases. The point is that i don't have any reinforcements for the AVG and once their planes are gone i'll be harmless

Swap out the H81As for P-40Es.

BTW - Don't send "30/30" (30 Exp, 30 Morale) units to the Front. They can't stop anything. Start thinking about defending Madras, Bombay and Karachi now.

BTW II - Don't waste your 2Es on hopeless Air Base attacks, save them for attacking armoured units that are moving forwards.

BTW III - Don't worry about Brisbane, concentrate on Sydney, Melbourne and Adalaide.

Good luck -

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: ADB123
BTW - Don't send "30/30" (30 Exp, 30 Morale) units to the Front. They can't stop anything. Start thinking about defending Madras, Bombay and Karachi now.

And remember to let them train while they can.
This is going to be interesting...

And I agree with ADB123; Good luck!

Terje

[GreyJoy]

I upgraded what i could (1 group out of 3) but i haven't enough P-40s to spare at the moment. need to refill my pool of p39s in order to switch some of the WC groups back to P-39s thus freeing a bit of p40s...
 
Ok so the new come indian division will be guarding some minor bases in the back of the main front (in order to prevent paradrops).
at the same time we're sending reinforces from the Bombay area, which, however remains garrisoned by 350 AVs with level 4 forts.
The defences or Karachi are growing even if not as fast as i wished...i'd need engeneers everywhere but only got 5 construction units in India.
I'm keeping my RN safe between Bombay and Colombo...i fear the presence of the Kb lurking somewhere in the dark but at the same time i wanna keep the RN close enough to come into play if badly needed (e.g. a landing at Colombo).
 
Now if only i hadn't sent those AUS units to Oz... :-/
 
For what concerns a countermove on my side, i'm considering NOPAC and CENTPAC...The marshalls are lightly garrisoned for sure and Tarawa hasn't been built yet to a stage where it becomes dangerous....however i read everywhere that in Scenario 2 what the allies grasp during 1942 Japan can easily bite back once the KB and some divisions get free from their main duties...
Anyway in the next week i'll try to recon and get some intel about the Marshalls and see if an opportunity arises.
In Oz i barely have the means to defend my southeastern coast...really cannot think now about an offensive operation in the SRA. I need to collect more supplies and fuel and to conquer back my North-East coast before thinking about an offensive operation.
Under these circumstances NOPAC remains my nr.1 choice...
 
However...now it's the Sub-Continent that needs my attention. I still think he's hiding his KB because he's planning a raid in the Arabian Sea...or, possibly, a "second hook" with a landing at Viza covered by the KB...the latter will scrumble my already-weak defences near Calcutta. Don't think actually he's sending all his forces (something like 12 Divisions plus many more little units) in the bottle-neck of Cock's Bazar...i really think he's going to land somewhere westwards...

[obvert]

quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

More sight-in...everything indicates that he's moving en masse to Cock's Bazar...Engeneers and naval guard units are reported to be loaded on X-maru and moving there.



Hey, not to pile on, but have you considered that when and if he finishes with Chunking he could easily activate Russia with that huge stack and roll north? No need to tie up sealift, he has the army already near the border, and it's very experienced.

You might want to take a look at your USSR fort building, pilot training, etc. We might see the first game with invasions of India, Oz, and Russia at the same time.

OK, a little piling on.

< Message edited by Bullwinkle58 -- 4/27/2011 11:38:49 PM >

I don't think he'll go Russia before taking out India. He knows the price there already, and in his previous game it took all of 42 and some of 43 to consolidate the gains there. It also releases so many units he would not be able to have the kind of free reign in India he will have now until he hits the tripwire.

That said, all of the preparation for an attack should still be happening, especially field building and pilot training.

You're getting a lot of advice here. I won't add much more to the pile except to say that you might read Canoerebel's AAR about defending India, (which I'm sure Rader has had a look at), and see what worked for him in his game against Q-Ball. A lot of talk by everyone there about what will work, where the line is, what Japan should have done as well.